News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-08-11
TRYING TO FIND CHINA.
The story Of ChiId's Adventure in
the Adirondacks.

From the IlaJtSDuIS ScA'iiNA't
Far from the hum of cities, beneath
the shadows of the towering noun
tain peaks, Marcy and Whiteface, OF the
| Adirondack range, the scene OF this lit
tie story is laid.
One bright morning i'll the ea:ly May
of 1879 two children might have been
seen in the meadows skirting the foot OF
old Whiteface, and they were consider
ably above the level of the small village
where they had their home. The
fields were Just beginning to be green,
the trees were timidly putting forth a
few leaves, for in that re yiOn the snow
fingers long amid the hills.
The air was still full of the dews of
night, and the children were little girls
of tender years. Their young broth
er had been missing from his home for
several hours and could not be found.
Men had searched the hills and valleys
through during all the night, calling his
name, and had now given up the search
! in despair. Willie, the darling of the
village, could not be found. 1t was
| thought that some fierce beast had torn
| him to pieces. But his sisters, Nellie
and Lizzie, would not give up their
| brother thus. When the men came in
with empty hands they begged their
mother to let them go and look for Will
| lie. She consented, but without the
slightest hope that they would find
their playmate.
The little girls walked slowly and
sadly along, till a memory, thought
! struck them like flash. Above them,
on the mountain side, was a cave they
had often seen, but never entered.
They had said in serious childlike fash
/ ion: When we get big we'll explore
| it. May be it goes through the world
to China! We will let no one know
about it. We will keep it all to our
| selves.
! Willie was alsoin the secret, and when
the sisters remembered it, Nellie said:
/ Il think Willie has gone to see if he can
| find China
| Il think so, too, replied Lizzie
| So on they went, faster now, for this
/ hopeful faith that had come to them.
The way was stony and steep, and they
had many slip and fall i'll their upward
| Journey to the cave. They We're very
/ weary and hungry when at last they
came to its mouth and peered iii.
/ Coming from the binding sunlight,
cavern. They called, Willie. Willie
| A faint voice answered Their hearts
were filled with terror as they looked
and beheld two bright, fiery eyes that
shone in the darkness. They hardly
dared call out again; but little voice
| they knew cried out again, 'Nelliei
Nellie!''
"Oh, it is Willie, but that dreadful
beast. What shall We do2"
The stout heart of the little girl failed
her. Fear of the animal and the desire
to save her brother struggled toge Their
in her breast, and might well have been
trial to one much older.
eve must go for help"
mo, no" called Willie, Don't go.
Save me, save mel
The eyes glistened and seemed to
snap like Goals Of fire. but nothing
could be heard. The beast WAS very
quiet, whatever it was.
II mean to go into the cave and see. :"
mo, no; you'll be killed." said Liz
zie. II must go. 1t hasn't hurt Willie
and, maybe, it will not hurt me-.
So she ventured in. Strange to say,
as she went the terrible eyes receded.
Dark at first, it began to grow somewhat
lighter She found Willie perched
upon a high rock from which he could
not get down. How glad they were to
find him safe and sound you all can i'm
agine.
But the mystery of those fiery orbs.
What do you think they were! They
were stars shining through a hole in the
top of the cave into water, which Liz
zie found out by wetting one foot and
looking to see where the light came
from.
They did not go on to see if they
could get to China; but, helping their
tired little brother down from his high
perch, they ran to the mouth of the
cave just IN time to meet friends and
neighbors who had come again to look
for the missing child. There was great
rejoicing among them all over the lost
one found.
"Why did you not answer when we
called you last night? You must have
heard us then, we were so near and
shouted so loud?"
"Willie promised never to tell OF let
anybody know about the cave, was the
answer of the sturdy, truth-loving little
fellow.